Your Body Has Billions and Billions and Billions of Bugs

A healthy microbiome equals good health, well-being, and longevity

Sep 29, 2023

My husband Andrea and I have worked together for close to 25 years. Some people find that amazing and enviable, other people think it’s unfathomable. (I get a lot of quizzically blank stares.) We have very similar work habits, creative philosophies, and complementary interests…and we genuinely like spending time together. It works out well. Plus, we are both aspiring writers in this second curve of life, so he reads and comments on most of my posts before I hit the “publish” button.

As Andrea was previewing Lightbulbs & Pearls | 08, which references Dr. Tim Spector’s book (Eat Thirty Plants a Week), he got to the part about bacteria that feed the beneficial bugs and said, “You don’t mean bugs,” to which I sweetly replied, “yup, that’s what they are called. Bugs. We’ve got bugs. Lots of them.” And so, we do. 100 trillion microorganisms (also called microbiota or microbes) otherwise known as… bugs.^[1]

These days, it seems like everyone in wellness is talking about microbiome and gut health (such an off-putting word, I wish I could rename it), yet so few of us lay people know much—if anything—about it. Most likely because “bacteria” sounds scary, it’s difficult to wrap our minds around both the concept of “good” bacteria” and the scale and impact of this invisible internal ecosystem. Not only is the sheer number of bugs baffling but there are thousands of species of bacteria within the 100 trillion microbiota! And this incomprehensibly complex community of microbial cells influences all aspects of our physiological health, affecting not only our metabolism and immunity, but also our brain function, mental health, and ultimately, our longevity. Disruption of this symbiotic populace can cause a multitude of ailments, illnesses, and chronic diseases including obesity, irritable bowel disease, asthma, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, Parkinson’s, and on and on.

Good bugs, bad bugs
While “the gut” grabs the spotlight, the microbiome is everywhere in and on our bodies—literally in every nook, corner, and cranny. The largest amount of microbiome is located in the large intestine, with the small intestine and stomach close behind… hence the catchall term, “gut.” Additionally, it is present anywhere there is mucus, such as the nose, mouth, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, urogenital tract, and mammary glands, just to name a few. But it’s not only inside. Even our skin has its very own delicately balanced microbiome community, as does our scalp.

In fact, the microbiome in its entirety plays such an important role in keeping our body functioning at the highest level for peak health and well-being that it has been labeled a supporting organ. It’s that vital. While science is still trying to unravel the mystery of how it all functions in harmony, it’s easy to see that any disorder in this micro-world can have cascading adverse effects.

Not to make this even more complicated, but within this group of microorganisms are not only bacteria, but also fungi, parasites, and viruses…oh my. While these are mostly beneficial and play well together, there are a small number that promotes disease; but in a healthy functioning microbiome, these bad bugs are kept in check by the hero good bugs. These heroes have a multitude of responsibilities including aiding with digestion (ground zero for health), destroying harmful bacteria, and controlling the immune system.

The second brain
Going a step deeper, the gut has been dubbed “the second brain” because it is home to the enteric nervous system^[2], a quasi-autonomous part of the overall nervous system that incredibly uses the same chemicals and cells as the brain to aid in digestion, and alerts the brain when something is wrong.

This crosstalk between the brain and gut explains the butterflies we feel when we are anxious or the stomachaches and diarrhea that appear when we are super stressed. Researchers are actively making connections between the post-biotic byproducts produced by bad bugs in the gut and how they can affect mood, cognition, and behavior. In fact, there is such a strong brain-gut correlation that many of the modalities used to mitigate mental stress, such as deep rest and relaxation, may also help to relieve symptoms of many gastrointestinal disorders.

Furthermore, very promising research is establishing the link between Parkinson’s and the gut via the vagus nerve^[3], which connects the brain to the gut. Although this amazing system has many essential tasks related to digestion, heart rate, respiratory rate, coughing, sneezing, and swallowing, it may also be responsible for delivering bad bugs in the gut up to the brain, thus planting the seeds of Parkinson’s. Stay tuned on this front!

Maintaining the delicate balance
It’s easy to see why it is absolutely crucial to cultivate and maintain a healthy microbiome and how disruptions and an overabundance of bad bugs can wreak havoc. So how do we accomplish this balancing act? This may be overly simplistic and cause a few PhDs to cringe, but here goes: Good food and healthy lifestyle habits create good bugs that preserve the microbiome; bad food and poor wellness habits create bad bugs that eat the good bugs, setting off the aforementioned cascade of ailments.

In the “good” corner of healthy food and lifestyle choices are many of my Ageosophy tenets for living: a wide variety of whole, nutrient-dense food comprised of clean proteins, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fermented foods; plenty of water; morning sunlight to stimulate vitamin production; 7-9 hours of quality sleep; quiet time in meditation or prayer to mitigate stress; and massage or dry brushing to stimulate the nervous system that is the pathway of the gut-brain connection.

In the “bad” corner of habits that weaken the microbiome is—first and foremost—diet: processed foods^[4] full of food colorants, emulsifiers, and artificial everything introduce a new community of bad bugs that destroy the good ones; alcohol consumption over 2 glasses a week; and excessive caffeine over two cups before noon. Anti-inflammatory drugs^[5] and antibiotics have also long been shown to kill off the good bugs, leaving the bad bugs to take over. (If you have to take a course of antibiotics, eat plenty of fermented foods to help replenish the good guys.)

Finally, let’s not forget our largest organ: our skin. Harsh cleansers, over-exfoliation, and too many products that clog the pores can all cause an imbalance in the body’s pH and microbiome. Especially egregious are the antibacterial soaps and ubiquitous, gawdawful hand sanitizers (I loathe these) that people insist on slathering all over their hands, thinking that they are being health conscious. Beware, these antibacterial products are not selective about which bugs they kill! Gentle soaps and minimalism is the best approach.

Prebiotics, probiotics, post-biotics
There is a great big “biotics” world on the shelves of your local pharmacy—a billion-dollar world, as a matter of fact. The primer is: prebiotics feed the good guys, probiotics are microorganisms that replenish the good bugs, and post-biotics^[6] are metabolic byproducts of probiotics that have their very own bioactive compounds (although not currently on the market, you may see them pop up soon).

While there is evidence that a well-rounded probiotic supplement is very beneficial (and necessary) when taking prescription antibiotics, in most other circumstances I’m honestly on the fence about the efficacy and necessity of the majority of these “biotic” products. A person’s microbiota is unique to them, originally determined by their DNA, so how can we possibly know precisely which strain and combination will be beneficial? Ageosophy readers know that rather than being reactive, I prefer to look upstream; if we take care of our microbiome in the first place, most likely we won’t need to repair or supplement it.

Mindfully move forward
Although this is an enormous and complex subject and the information here only scratches the tippy-top of the surface, I sincerely hope that I’ve made it somewhat digestible (pun intended). For me, it reinforces my belief that we have the power to control many aspects of our health, and it underscores the absolute necessity of clean living. We can choose to create a lifestyle that either supports and nurtures our amazing microbiome, or throws it (and all aspects of our health and wellbeing) into chaos.

Moving forward, I’m going to be paying even more attention to understanding life’s puzzle pieces and identifying what steps I can take to help them fit and work together. There is always room for improvement on this journey to live well, age great… and the balance of our essential microbiome is a terrific place to start!

Your Body Has Billions and Billions and Billions of Bugs

A healthy microbiome equals good health, well-being, and longevity

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